So there's like 7 updates available for ESX 3.0.1. I've updated one of my ESX Hosts already with no issues, however it forced a reboot out of each and every patch was installed.
Is there a way to install all patches and then reboot at the end?
Install the updates in release date/numerical order. Run esxupdate -n update for each of the updates. the '-n' switch means 'no reboot'. Reboot the server after the last update completes.
Install the updates in release date/numerical order. Run esxupdate -n update for each of the updates. the '-n' switch means 'no reboot'. Reboot the server after the last update completes.
Crap. I KN EW it would be something simple like that.
Thanks for the response!
Install the updates in release date/numerical order.
Order I have used on ESX 3.0.1:
ESX-2158032
ESX-1410076
ESX-1006511
ESX-9986131
ESX-8173580
ESX-6921838
ESX-2066306
Run esxupdate -n update for each of the updates, host.
the '-n' switch means 'no reboot'. Reboot the
server after the last update completes.
I did it the slow way: reboot after each update, host after host. The last patch ("ESX-2066306") doesn't force a reboot. I'd really like to have an official statement from VMware regarding multiples patches without reboot.
VMware, could you make jumbo patches available, cumulating all updates in a single patch for those who want to have fully updated hosts? This would be much more efficient. The current process is tedious.
Has anyone scripted the list of current updates yet? Allowing for all patch install's, with a single reboot?
Thanks
I would also like to understand VMware's official position on when to reboot.
I know we can wait to reboot until all patches have been applied; however is it supported?
A quarterly cummulative update would be nice.
I installed all the patches in numeric order. Hopefully I did not step on anything.
Install the updates in release date/numerical
order.
Order I have used on ESX 3.0.1:
ESX-2158032
ESX-1410076
ESX-1006511
ESX-9986131
ESX-8173580
ESX-6921838
ESX-2066306
This is rather interesting, where do you guys get the statement of installation order?
I mentioned it before: maybe VMware binds a SR-number to the update instead of a timestamp/order property or so.
Still haven't seen any official instruction about the installation order
The order is from the order that they are posted on the website starting with the oldest...
But not all updates are required so in that case just skip the updates and continue with the next?
Do you have any official source stating this?
But not all updates are required so in that case just
skip the updates and continue with the next?
Do you have any official source stating this?
I install every update. That's not official, just that I think it's a good practice.
Recently took delivery of a job lot of servers and got bored after the 1st server install of 7 patches so decided to sort out a script.
1st copied all the tar patches to /var/patches
2nd created a patchlist file of the 7 patches in date order
for name in $(cat /var/updates/patchlist)
do
tar -xvzf /var/updates/$\{name}.tgz
esxupdate -n -r file:/var/updates/$name update
done
Had a cup of tea, once completed, done my other post config. stuff and rebooted.
It worked for me.....good luck.
So...going to update the servers tonight after adding new hardware.
Any thoughts on the new patches added...anyone experienced any problems or applied them?
EDIT - vmware really needs to get an ftp site..this downloading is killing me.
Any thoughts on the new patches added...anyone
experienced any problems or applied them?
No issue so far, even for the very latest ones.
EDIT - vmware really needs to get an ftp site..this
downloading is killing me.
Yeah... This is getting boring. And by the way, VMware should add cumulatives patches!
No problems so far as long as you keep them in order of release date. When not doing this it will give you an error stating that the installation of the specific update requires deinstallation of other updates first. You can force this by the --force parameter, however you need install the other updates again to make sure everything is consistent
Thank you!
This was such a tedious process for the first server before finding this post. I knew it was possible but my linux experience is soooo rusty.
Hi,
VMware has a PDF out there which describes the process of not rebooting between updates,
and the use of a 'depot' to update multiple ESX Servers.
You can connect to a central depot through HTTP, FTP and NFS.
So you do not have to distribute all updates to all of your ESX hosts.
Link: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_esxupdate.pdf
regards,
Harold
Excuse me, Harold, but I'm not able to find the "not rebooting" procedure in the esx3_esxupdate.pdf doc, where did you find it ?
It is on page 4 under the section "Installing Successive Updates Without Rebooting". It refers to using the --noreboot switch, but you can also just use -n.
OK, thank you a lot.
I was looking for some kind of VMware "support statement" of installing patches with only one final reboot.
Thank you again.